CC BY
13
ONLINE COMMUNICATION ACTIVITY ON THE BRICK MARKET
УДК 33
Maria Viktorovna Ignatova,
postgraduate student Department of Marketing
and Commerce MESI,
Russia, Moscow
Mob.: 8-916-343-14-56,
E-mail: ignatovamariav@gmail.com
The article is dedicated to the analysis and determination of online communications' level on the brick market. The main object of this analysis is websites of the leading brick producers. As a result the clusters of main brick producers have been constructed by the level of their online communication with the customer.
Keywords: communications, the internet, the brick market, competition, online activity
Мария Викторовна Игнатова,
аспирантка кафедры маркетинга и коммерции МЭСИ, Россия, Москва Тел.: 8-916-343-14-56, Эл. почта: ignatovamariav@gmail.com
АКТИВНОСТЬ ОНЛАЙН-КОММУНИКАЦИЙ НА РЫНКЕ КИРПИЧА
Статья посвящена анализу и определению уровня онлайн-коммуникаций на рынке кирпича. Основным объектом анализа являлись интернет-сайты ведущих производителей кирпича. Результатом анализа стало построение кластеров основных производителей по уровню системы их онлайн-коммуникаций с потребителем.
Ключевые слова: коммуникации, интернет, рынок кирпича, конкуренция, онлайн активность
1. Introduction
According to the Federal State Statistics Service 78% of Russian companies had access to the Internet and used it in 2009. In the Siberian Federal District companies used the Internet least of all -73%. In turn in the Urals Federal District companies used the Internet most of all - 84%.
In recent years the number of the internet users has been growing. Still many Russian territories are remaining without the Internet connection. It reveals a great potential for the Internet coverage.
The development of online communications reveals for many companies the website as one of the main ways of the communication with consumer. It must be so-called "company's visiting card".
An expanding of the business boundaries increases the importance of the corporate website for any company. It must help to attract new customers, to obtain access to all sorts of the information (for example, the supply of new product batches, pricing, company news, new products). In fact, the corporate site - is an effective marketing tool, allowing to expand company's business.
Unfortunately, a limited number of companies especially in the building industry use this marketing instrument. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, only 28% of companies of a building area had their own web site in 2009. Through 6 years this indicator had grown by 17%. While only 24% of companies from all business areas had their own representation in the Internet in 2009.
For brick manufacturers having a website - is one of the most important needs. Brick is not customer goods, it is often purchased without a personal acquaintance. Therefore site must represent the main brands and their technological properties, the price advantage. But It's still not enough to attract the
Table 1. The number of companies in Russia, to tal number of co mpanies),
used the Internet, (% of the 2003-2009
The number of companies in Russia, used the Internet, % 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Russia 43% 49% 53% 61% 68% 74% 78%
Central Federal District 43% 48% 53% б0% б8% 71% 7б%
North-West Federal District 52% 58% б0% бб% 70% 77% 81%
South Federal District 44% 48% 54% бб% 71% 77% 79%
Volga Federal District 38% 44% 50% 59% бб% 7б% 81%
Ural Federal District 48% 53% 58% бб% 74% 81% 84%
Siberian Federal District 41% 4б% 49% 57% б2% б8% 73%
Far East Federal District 48% 55% 5б% б2% б8% 73% 78%
Source: Federal State Statistics Service
Table 2. Companies online activity of a "Building" sector and of all kinds of _business areas (% of the total number of companies), 2004-2009_
Companies online activity, % 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
"Building"
Companies using the Internet 47% 58% 70% 80% 87% 90%
Companies using global information networks 480^ 590^ 7 m 8 m 870^ 900^
Companies owning the Web site ИЛ 220^ 2 m 260^ 280^
All kinds of business areas
Companies owning the Web site 2 m 200^ 230^ 240^
Source: Federal State Statistics Service
new customers and gain leadership positions in the brick market.
Currently promotion and expansion to the regions - is one of the important directions of the development on any market. Therefore in addition to technological and industrial characteristics website must reflect marketing activities even if it is a manufacturing company.
2. Analysis and Results
To evaluate the communications system on the brick market websites of leading brick manufacturers have been analyzed. Leading manufacturers have been detected on the basis of ceramic and silica brick volumes ratings in each federal district in 20082009. Thus 106 companies have been selected. Despite the fact that until 2008 around 1000 manufacturers worked on the Russian brick market, this selection is representative enough to make the conclusions on the general market situation.
Firstly this is due to companies massive leaving from the market in 2008-2009 (about 300-450 brick manufacturers went off). Currently there are 550-700 companies working on the brick market. Secondly it's because of the brick market being one of the most local Russian markets, where a segment of the regional companies is large enough. Often, each of them works only in its own region and has a permanent customer base, so such companies don't have and don't plan to develop the Web sites. Local companies occupy 50% of the total number of producers in Russia. The research was held in August-September 2010.
The lowest online activity is detected in the Siberian federal district -only 56% of companies have a website. A little better this indicator is for the North-West Federal District - 67%. In the Volga, Urals, and Southern federal districts more than 80% companies own a website, in the Central -90%. While website availability on the national level is 78%.
Marketing activities through the web site can be assessed by indicators such as:
• Availability of Marketing department;
• A news feed;
• Availability of information on discounts;
• Participation / non-participation in exhibitions;
Table 3. The number of main brick producers owning web sites by federal
district, %
A website availability CFD UFD VFD NWFD SFD SibFD Total
Total number of companies, units 21 13 26 12 16 18 106
Website availability, units 19 11 21 S 14 10 S3
Percentage of businesses owning a web site, % 90% 85% 81% 67% 88% 56% 78%
Table 4. Marketing activities of the brick producers reflected on the website by federal district
Marketing activities reflected on the site CFD UFD VFD NWFD SFD SibFD Total
number of sites that provide information
The presence of the marketing department 4 1 3 1 1 0 10
The presence of news feed 11 4 11 3 5 2 36
Availability of information on discounts S 3 3 1 1 0 16
Participation in exhibitions 7 3 3 1 2 0 16
The availability of marketing facilities 7 1 0 1 5 2 16
% of the total number of web sites providing information
The presence of the marketing department 21% 9% 14% 13% 7% 0% 12%
The presence of news feed 5S% 36% 52% 3S% 3 6% 20% 43%
Availability of information on discounts 42% 27% 14% 13% 7% 0% 19%
Participation in exhibitions 37% 27% 14% 13% 1 4% 0% 19%
The availability of marketing facilities 37% 9% 0% 13% 3 6% 20% 19%
Table 5. Activity of a news feed reflected on the web site of the brick producers by federal district
Activity of a news feed reflected on the web site CFD UFD VFD NWFD SFD SibFD Total
number of sites providing information
low (some news in a year) 3 0 1 1 2 2 9
average (1-2 irregular news in 2-3 months) 4 1 6 0 1 0 12
high (more than 1 news in a month) 4 3 4 2 2 0 15
% of the total number of sites providing information
low (some news in a year) 27% 0% 9% 33% 40% 100% 25%
average (1-2 irregular news in 2-3 months) 36% 25% 55% 0% 20% 0% 33%
high (more than 1 news in a month) 36% 75% 36% 67% 40% 0% 42%
• The availability of distribution system.
Only few companies have a marketing department. 21% of companies carry on marketing in Central Federal District. There are no marketing departments in brick companies of the Siberian federal district. Only 12% of companies have marketing department as an independent unit on average in Russia.
A news feed is one of the ways for potential clients' communication. However, the brick manufacturers rarely use it. Companies of the Central federal district carry on a news feed most of all - 58%, in the Siberian Federal District only 20% of producers work actively with a news feed.
Very few companies inform customers about the discounts and distribution system. This fact can also be considered as a weakness in the communication system. It is much easier to find all necessary information directly from the company than to try to get it on an individual basis.
Participation in the exhibition - one of the few events where a customer can visually assess the product and talk personally to company's representatives. Exhibition of industrial products - a presentation of goods, where you can get sufficient information about suppliers and product performance. However, this resource is also used infrequently on the market brick. One of the possible reasons of such state is high cost of participation in such activities. Thus brick manufacturers of the Siberian Federal District presented in the analysis do not participate in the exhibitions. Manufacturers of the Central federal district are the most active. 37% of Central federal companies annually participate in various exhibitions.
Only 42% of all brick companies update a news feed actively enough i.e. monthly. One-third of the companies show moderate activity in updating a news feed - one or two news once in 2-3 months. Another 25% of companies rarely update a news feed (it means several times a year) or never update it at all.
About 56% of the companies represented in the analysis, participate in exhibitions 1-2 times a year, 25% participate in them no more than 1 times per year and only 19% can afford 3 or more participation.
Table 6. Participation in exhibitions reflected on the brick companies site by
federal district
Participation in exhibitions CFD UFD VFD NWFD SFD SibFD Total
number of sites providing information
not more than 1 time a year 3 1 0 0 0 0 4
1 -2 times per year 2 2 3 0 2 0 9
more than 3 times per year 2 0 0 1 0 0 3
% of the total number of sites providing information
not more than 1 time a year 43% 33% 0% 0% 0% 0% 25%
1 -2 times per year 29% 67% 100 % 0% 100% 0% 56%
more than 3 times per year 29% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% 19%
Table 7. Interface convenience for the client (the extent of completeness) reflected on the brick companies' site by federal district
Interface' convenience for the client (the extent of completeness) CFD UFD VFD NWFD SFD SibFD Total
number of sites providing information
low (there is only feedback) 10 5 9 6 3 9 42
medium (there is a feedback and articles) 4 3 11 0 9 1 28
high (there is a feedback, articles, calculator, etc.) 5 3 1 2 2 0 13
% of the total number of sites providing information
low (there is only feedback) 53% 45% 43% 75% 21% 90% 51%
medium (there is a feedback and articles) 21% 27% 52% 0% 64% 10% 34%
high (there is a feedback, articles, calculator, etc.) 26% 27% 5% 25% 14% 0% 16%
Table 8. Cluster 1 of brick producers in terms of online communication
market
Cluster FD Producer Point
NWFD OAO "Pobeda LSR" 15
CFD ООО " Vinerbergerkirpich" 14
CFD ОАО "Stroypolymerkeramika" 13
CFD ZAO "Kovrovsky zavod silikatnogo kirpicha" 13
Cluster №1 CFD ОАО "Yaroslavsky zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
UFD ОАО "Revdinsky kirpichny zavod"
VFD ООО "Proizvodstvo keramicheskogo rirpicha na Zakamennoi" 10
VFD ООО " Silikatstroy"
SFD ОАО "Slavyansky kirpich"
More than 50% of brick manufacturers' sites aren't completed enough. There are no news feeds, no information about discounts, no analytical articles, publications, and often even the product catalog. Only 16% of the analyzed companies keep a well completed web site with a lot of useful information for the client (feedback, articles, calculator cost, price lists, catalogs, etc.).
Clusters of brick companies have been created based on this analysis of the online communications [1].
As can be seen from Table 8, the cluster 1 has been formed by the pool of companies with score between 10 and 15 points (with the most advanced system of online communications). "Pobeda LSR", part of LSR is the most focused on communicating to customers. Cluster 1 totally includes 9 companies with 4 - from the Central federal district.
Cluster 2 has been formed by 21 companies, each of which is scored from 6 to 9 points. 13 companies have settled in the Central district (6 companies) and in the Volga federal districts (7).
The companies of the Siberian and North-West Federal District have the smallest representation in the first two clusters. The Siberian element is the only company from the Siberian Federal District which has got 6 points in the cluster number 2.
The Northwestern Federal District is presented by previously mentioned "Pobeda LSR" (15 points) and "VKZ-3" (8 points).
The cluster 3 has hit 31 companies with scores of 3 to 5. The South Federal District is most presented in this cluster - by 11 companies.
Companies from the cluster 4 (from 1 to 2 points) and cluster 5 (0 points) are the least active.
These clusters are represented mainly by producers of the Siberian and Volga federal districts. One of the features of the cluster 4 is that despite the economic development of the North-West Federal District, the majority of brick producers have got to these clusters, because of having the low internet availability.
19% of the analyzed companies do not have any Internet activities. The only means of communication for such companies - it's mailing of printed brochures.
Table 9. Cluster 2 of brick producers in terms of online communication
market
Cluster FD Producer Point
CFD ОАО "Lipetskiy kombinat silikatnyh izdeliy"
UFD ОАО Chelyabinskiy zavod stroyindustrii "Kemma" 9
VFD ZAO "Samarskiy kombinat keramicheskih materialov"
SFD ОАО "Glubokinskiy kirpichny zavod"
UFD ОАО "Udmurtskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov"
VFD ОАО "Kerma" 8
VFD ООО "Bashkirskiy kirpich"
NWFD ООО "VKZ-3"
CFD ОАО "Msterskiy zavod keramicheskih stroitel'nyh materialov"
CFD ОАО "Kostromskoy silikatny zavod"
Cluster №2 UFD ООО "Invest- Sili kat- Stroyservis" 7
VFD ОАО "Kazanskiy kombinat stroitel'nyh materialov"
VFD ОАО "Tolyattiazot"
VFD ZAO "Saratovskif zavod stroimaterialov"
SFD ООО "Volgogradskifzavod oblitsovochnogo kirpicha"
CFD GUP "Losinoostrovskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov i konstruktsiy"
CFD ZAO "Tverskoy kombinat stroitel'nyh materialov № 2"
CFD ZAO ""Ryazanskiy zavod silikatnyh izdeliy" 6
UFD ООО "Bogoslovskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
VFD ООО "Kazanskiy zavod silikatnyh stenovyh materialov"
SibFD ООО "Sibirskiy element"
Table 10. Cluster 3 of brick producers in terms of online communication market
Cluster FD Producer Point
CFD ZAO "Novomoskovskiy zavod keramicheskih materialov -Tsentrgaz"
CFD 3AO "Ryazanskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
CFD ZAO "Voronezhskiy kombinat stroitel'nyh materialov"
UFD OAO "Uktus" 5
VFD OAO "Sterlitamakskiy zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
SFD OOO "Fabrika keramicheskih izdeliy"
SFD OAO "Sebryakovskiy kombinat asbestotsementnyh izdeliy"
SibFD OOO "Kalachinskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov"
CFD OAO "Butovskiy kombinat"
UVD OAO "Stroyplastpolimer"
VFD ZAO "Borskiy silikatnyy zavod"
VFD OOO "Chapaevskiy silikatnyy zavod"
NWFD ZAO "Borovichskiiykombinat stroitel'nyh materialov" 4
Cluster №3 SFD OAO "Novokubanskiy zavod keramicheskih stenovyh materialov"
SFD OAO "Krasnodarskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
SFD OOO Severskif kirpichnyy zavod "Dialog-Vostok-Zapad"
CFD OAO "Tul'skiy kirpichnyy zavod"
CFD OOO "Tellura"
CFD OAO "Stroymaterialy"
CFD ZAO "Kaluzhskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov"
CFD OOO "Ivsilikat"
UFD OOO "Chelyabstroymaterialy"
VFD OOO "Melyeuzovskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
VFD ZAO "Zavod stroitel'nyh materialov" 3
VFD OAO "Silikatnyy zavod №1"
SFD ZAO "Sal'skiy kirpichnyy zavod"
SFD OAO "Kirpichno-cherepichnyy zavod"
SFD ZAO "Mihaylovskiy zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
SFD OAO "Tsigel'"
SFD OAO ""Vladikavkazskiy zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
SFD OOO "Stroykompleks "BRIK"
3. Resume
For a more graphic display of the analysis contingency table has been set up. As can be seen from the table 13, cluster 1 is mainly formed by companies of the Central federal district, cluster 2 -companies of the Volga and Central Federal Districts, Cluster 3 -companies of the Southern federal district, cluster 4 - companies of the Siberian and Volga federal districts and the cluster 5 - companies based in the Siberian Federal District.
The analysis indicates a low level of online communication on the brick market. Only 8% of all analyzed companies actively use such competitive advantages. Another 20% of companies also pay less attention to the corporate site and use it for promoting their products and attracting customers. The remaining 53% of companies almost don't use the advantage of online communications and 19% completely neglect this way of business.
4. Excursus
For clustering analysis 9 indicators (the presence of the site, the presence of the marketing department, the presence of a news feed, the availability of information about discounts, participation in exhibitions, the availability of information about the system of distribution, an extent of a news feed activity, an extent of participation in exhibitions, an extent of convenience of the site's interface for the client ) have been chosen. For each indicator, scores have been arranged from 0 to 3. In terms of characterizing a presence or absence of a indicator, score of 1 or 0 have been affixed respectively. The indicators characterizing an extent of activity or convenience, have had the following point scale: 1 - low, 2 - medium 3 - high. Clusters have been formed at random, based on the total number of points scored by each company in all indicators.
References
1. Ruth McNeil, "Business to Business market research: understanding and measuring business markets." -M: Balance Business Books, 2007. -Page. 108-118.
2. Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller, "Marketing Management. 12th edition" - Spb: Piter, 2010. Page. - 596640.
3. S.V.Mkhitaryan, A.M .Senektu-
Table 11. Cluster 4 of brick producers in terms of online communication
market
Cluster FD Producer Point
UFD ZAO "Vinzilinskiy zavod keramicheskih stenovyh materialov"
UFD OAO "Zarechnyy"
UFD OAO Potaninskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov "Polistrom"
UFD OOO "Zavod Silikat"
VFD OAO "Myeakir"
VFD ZAO "Stroymaterialy. Engel'sskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
VFD OAO "Navashinskif zavod stroimaterialov"
VFD OOO "Mariyskiy zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
VFD OAO "Yasnopolyanskie stroitel'nye materialy"
VFD GUP "Kombinat stroitel'nyh materialov""
NWFD OAO "Cherepovetskiy zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
Cluster№4 NWFD OOO "KSM" 2
NWFD ZAO Zavod stroymaterialov "Etalon"
NWFD OAO "Kondopoga"
NWFD OAO "Sokolstrom"
SFD OOO "Aristotel'"
SFD OAO "Irkut-skiy keramicheskiy zavod"
SFD OOO "Leninsk-kuznetskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov"
SFD OOO "Mazurovskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
SFD OOO kirpichnyy zavod "Peschanka"
SFD ZAO "Doroginskiy kirpich"
SFD OOO "Bratskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
SFD OOO "Kombinat stroitel'nyh materialov "Sibirskiy zhelezobeton"
SFD OAO "Silikatstroymaterialy"
VFD ZAO-Firma "Cheboksarskaya keramika" 1
Table 12. Cluster 5 of brick producers in terms of online communication market
Cluster FD Producer Poin t
CFD OAO "Orlovskiy zavod silikatnogo kirpicha"
CFD OOO "Gnezdovo"
UFD ZAO "Miasskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
VFD OAO " Tol'yattinskiy kirpichnyy zavod"
VFD ZAO "Silikatchik"
VFD OOO "Silikat"
VFD OAO "Zavod po proizvodstvu stroitel'nyh materialov "Silikat"
NWFD ZAO "Petrokeramika""
NWFD OAO "Silikatstrom"
Ckuster NWFD OAO "Kombinat "Silbet" 0
№5 NWFD OOO "Gryazovetskiy kombinat stroymaterialov"
SFD ZAO "Zavod stenovyh materialov i keramzita"
SibFD OAO "Cherepanovskiy zavod stroitel'nyh materialov"
SibFD OOO "Zavod stroitel'nyh materialov 7"
SibFD OOO "Fasad"
SibFD OAO "Kopylovskiy keramicheskiy zavod MPO"
SibFD OOO "Stroymaterialy-99"
SibFD ZAO "Barnaulstroymaterialy"
SibFD OOO "Monolit-PV"
SibFD ZAO "Novokuznetskremstroy-N"
Table 13. Contingency tables, based on brick producers' clusters in the __ federal districts, % ___
Number of companies in clusters and FD VFD NWFD SibFD UFD CFD SFD Total by lines
Cluster №1 2 1 0 1 4 1 9
22%, 11% 0% 11% 44% 11% 100%
Cluster №2 7 1 1 4 6 2 21
33% 5% 5% 19% 29% 10% 100%
Cluster №3 6 1 1 3 9 11 31
19% 3% 3% 10% 29% 35% 100%
Cluster №4 7 5 8 4 0 1 25
28% 20% 32% 16% 0% 4% 100%
Cluster №5 4 4 8 1 2 1 20
20% 20% 40% 5% 10% 5% 100%
Total by columns 26 12 18 13 21 16 106
tov, Statistical demand analysis with the use the adjusted sample// Applied Econometrics, 2006 #3, 0,5 p.p (author 0,3 p.p)
4. S.V.Mkhitaryan, A.M .Senektu-tov, Evaluation of the industry segments' attractiveness with the use the methods to increase the representativeness of Electrical Engineering // Economic sciences, 2008 #7(44), 0,5
p.p (author 0,3 p.p)
5. S.V.Mkhitaryan, Specification of Regional Segmentation of Russia for the Industrial Enterprises// Finance and Business, 2009 #1, 0,6 p.p.
6. The Federal State Statistics Service. URL: www.gks.ru
Литература
1. Рут МакНейл, «Маркетинговые
исследования в сфере В2В: анализ и оценка рынков товаров для бизнеса». - M: Balance Business Books, 2007. - С. 108-118.
2. Филип Котлер, Кевин Лейн Келлер. «Маркетинг Менеджмент. 12-е издание». - СПб: Питер, 2010. -С. 596-640
3. Мхитарян С.В., Сенектутов А.М. Статистический анализ спроса с использованием скорректированной выборки // Прикладная эконометрика. - 2006. - №3. - 0,5 п. л. (авт. - 0,3 п. л.)
4. Мхитарян С.В., Сенектутов А.М. Оценка привлекательности отраслевых сегментов рынка с использованием методов повышения репрезентативности электротехники // Экон омические науки. - 2008. -№7(44) - 0,5 п.л. (авт. - 0,3 п.л.)
5. Мхитарян С.В. Специфика региональной сегментации России для промышленных предприятий // Финансы и бизнес. - 2009. - №1 - 0,6 п.л.
6. Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Росстат). URL: www.gks.ru
